Chin-support.



W. R. HILL.

CHIN SUPPORT. APPLICATION run 0013, 1910.

' 1,003,137. Patented Sept. 12,1911.

5151293393, bwvszatar.

%014,4J M WZZfreaLZZHz'ZZ WILFRED R. HILL, OF OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.

CHIN-SUPPORT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 3, 1910.

Patented Sept. 12, 1911.

Serial No. 584,999.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, l/VILFRED R. HILL, citizen of the United States,residing at Oakland, in the county of Alameda and State of California,have invented new and useful Improvements in Chin-Supporters, of whichthe following is a specification.

My invention relates to a device by which the mouth of a defunct personmay be retained in a closed position after death and until rigor mortishas set in.

It consists of a clamp supported from the bony processes within thenostril, and adapted to engage the lower jaw and chin, with means toadjust the device.

It also comprises details of construction which will be more fullyexplained by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1is a perspective view showing the invention as applied. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a modified form of the support.

In most instances after death the aw drops, holding the mouth open andgiving an unnatural appearance to the face. In his work of caring forthe body, the embalmer is called upon to restore the natural expressionof the features and in order to do this he must see to it that the mouthis not only closed naturally, but that it be held firmly in positionuntil rigor mortis has set in, or the stiffening effect of the embalmingfluid has taken place. A number of methods have been employed. A clothtied around the head leaves ridges and marks upon the cheeks. A propsupporting the jaw braced from the clavicle or collar bone, not onlyleaves a deep indentation under the chin, but slips out of place whenturning the head or moving the body, thereby breaking up the rigor oraction of the fluid, before being fully set, and the process ofstitching the jaws together often gives an unnatural pucker to the lips.

The object of my invention is to clamp the upper and lower jaw togetherby the simplest and most natural method, by entering the nasal openingsin the skull with prongs A, or one opening with one prong to which a bar2 is attached in a way that it will pass beneath the chin and lower jawas at 3 and may be held in place by a natural leverage of the bar or bya set screw, lever, clamp or spring, as at A. In this way the mouth willremain closed during the process of. washing, dressing and embalming thebody, the body may be moved at will, or the head placed in any positionwithout displacing the clamp, and it may be left in place until thenatural setting of the jaw has taken place.

The device comprises in its construction a pair of bars, 2, maintainedin parallelism by an upper grip or bearing, 5, and a lower adjustablecross piece, 6, through each of which pieces, 5 and 6, the bars 2 may beslid and turned. Each bar 2 is curved outwardly and upwardly, as at 2,to carry the nose engaging transverse prongs, A, into a plane well toone side of the bar, 2, so that when the prongs A are inserted in thenostrils the curved portions, 2*, amply clear the projecting fleshyportion of the nose. If the device is to be applied to a small head theprongs A may be swung in the plates 5 and 6 toward each other and thecross-piece may he slid up the bars 2 to firmly close the mouth. Theprongs A are offset to fit into the nasal passages without touching thelips or marking the nose, and the plate 6 slips up or down on the rods 2and after being adjusted firmly the leverage caused by the pressure onthe chin locks the device. A chin rest, 7 shaped to catch the point ofthe jaw is mounted on the hearing or slide plate, 6.

In Fig. 2, I have shown the bars 2 as connected by a web, 2 againstwhich may be moved the screw 4- to lock the parts in ad justed relation.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is 1. A clamp or device adapted to engage the lower jawand suspending attachments to engage with the nasal openings of theskull.

2. A device to retain the mouthin a closed In testimony whereof I havehereunto set condltlon, sald device lncludlng a member my hand in thepresence of two subscribing 10 adapted to engage the chin or lower jaw,a witnesses.

member adapted to enter the nostrils and engage the bony processes ofthe head, said WILFRED HILL members being adjustable with relation toWitnesses:

each other, and means to secure them in E. J. HUGHES,

their adjusted position. F. A MULLA.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

